US Harms Women and Children in Iraq?

US air attack on Iraq Shia fighters

The US said its target was a Mahdi Army unit responsible for attacks on US-led troops [EPA]

27 July 2007

The US military have killed around 12 Shia fighters in an air attack in Iraqi city of Karbalaa.

US special forces ordered the air attack when Shia fighters unleashed a barrage of rocket and machine gun fire during clashes on Friday.

The US military has denied there were any civilians in the area, but Dr Aziz al-Ghanimi of al-Hussein General Hospital said his staff had received nine bodies and 23 people with injuries.

A local government official said the casualties included two dead women and 10 wounded women and children.

The US statement did not say whether US or Iraqi troops had been killed or wounded in the battle.

At least three of the dead were Mahdi Army fighters, according to Razak al-Musawi, a local spokesman for the political movement of Shia leader, Moqtada al-Sadr.

"The Americans were looking for a well-known member of the Mahdi Army named Hamza Matrud. There were three people killed and seven wounded from the Mahdi Army," al-Musawi said.

The US military did not give any names, but said its target was a 100-member Mahdi Army unit responsible for bomb and mortar attacks on US-led troops, civilians, and the assassination of two government officials.

Cities in south-central Iraq have seen several running battles in recent months between rival Shia fighters, US and Iraqi forces.

Source